The Tibetan Buddhist tradition offers a myriad of forms for transforming the ordinary mind into dynamic, awakened mind. Some, like mantra, mudra, and mandala, do not seem to have an equivalent in the West and may provide a unique and powerful learning opportunity for Western students.
In this brief, introductory course we will discuss one of these three: mandala—an especially potent catalyst for personal transformation. Reflecting both fundamental openness and optimal realization, the mandala is a timeless, comprehensive model of the structures underlying reality; it encompasses everything from a single cell to the entire cosmos.
In this class, we will touch on several aspects of mandala including how Tarthang Tulku’s organizations are structured as a mandala, the traditional explanations of Buddha-fields, and the mandala of our own, individual being with its chakras and subtle energy body.
Study of the mandala invites our perception and experience, our actions and qualities, to turn away from self-centered and small-minded ways of being toward a dynamic engagement with life, it’s possibilities and the unfolding of its maximum potential.
This self-study course consists of five units, containing a video seminar plus supplemental materials.